Follow Your Curiosity

Stop Holding Yourself Back: Embrace Your Imperfection

I recently sat down with my dear friend, author Cindy Lynn Speer, to talk about perfectionism and how it seeps into us through the culture in insidious ways we don't even recognize—and how it affects us in similarly sneaky ways. We also talked about how making bad art can help us undo those lessons and free us from the voices of the inner critics that have been installed in our heads so we can loosen up, create more freely and have more fun in our lives.

Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.

If you have questions about the course, please contact me. I'd love to talk to you!

 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Start small, don't aim too high initially.

05:02 Start simple, avoid over-investing initially.

07:01 Embrace imperfection to enhance creativity flow.

10:32 Wanted to teach creative writing, but couldn't.

13:53 Creative writing facilitates easier, less perfectionistic writing.

20:30 Overcome self-judgment to embrace innate creativity.

23:25 Teaching unpredictably affects students, clarifying perfectionism vision.

27:30 Enjoying life more through sustainable art practice.

31:24 Struggled with structuring topics; needed adjustments.

34:34 Create bad art, prioritize interaction and questions.

36:45 Exercises allow personal interpretation and creativity.

40:32 Comparison and perfectionism constrain us from childhood.

45:56 Creativity suppressed; rediscover joy through art.

50:05 Contact me with questions about this transformative course.

52:03 Creativity course helps with self-kindness and communication.

 

Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at https://MakeBadArtCourse.com.

CPT #95: (Re)Define Your Creativity

What if the question of your creativity is more about how you define the term than whether or not you have any? I explain in this short episode.

The second round of my Make Bad Art course starts on January 20! If you think you might be defining yourself out of your creativity, MBA is a great place to recalibrate that definition and come home to yourself. We had a fabulous time time in the first round, with moments of creative insight and inspiration all over the place! Learn more and sign up here.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

If you'd like to stay up to date on things like my courses and also get podcast and event updates, subscribe to The Spark! 

Lead Your Life in 2025 with Les Watson

Les Watson’s passion for and expertise in self-management and productivity comes from over 30 years of experience as a trainer, speaker, facilitator, and coach in self-management, motivation, and communication. He is the author of Get Back An Hour In Every Day and facilitates the acclaimed Creating Success Program.

Les talks with me about identifying your tendency and how it can cause trouble as you manage your time; how parents can take care of themselves first even in a busy household to make sure they get to their creativity; why deadlines are magic, not a medieval torture device; the keys to getting an hour of your time back every day, and more. I hope this conversation gets your New Year’s creativity resolutions off to a great start.

Join us for Make Bad Art starting on January 20 and get 2025 off to a fresh creative start! Details at MakeBadArtCourse.com. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Les Watson discusses self-management, productivity, and creativity.

05:35 What do you want and commit to?

08:51 Keeping self-appointments is as important as others.

12:17 It's easier to prioritize others over yourself.

15:44 Prioritize self-care first, like oxygen masks.

18:13 Setting boundaries for personal time with kids.

22:55 Clarify priorities to focus efforts effectively.

25:57 Incompletions persist, haunting and overwhelming thoughts.

28:57 Organize goals efficiently with a single system.

31:16 Deadlines motivated MFA completion, ensured timely submissions.

34:03 Get accountability buddy for art exhibition preparation.

39:41 Maximize return on investment using minimal effort.

42:25 Start big picture, identify steps, take action.

46:31 What do you want? Sacrifice for creativity.

50:13 Planning creates personal time and builds self-trust.

51:22 Write goals down to stay focused and organized.

55:38 Capture fleeting ideas before they vanish forever.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

 

 

CPT #94: The Secret to Holiday Joy

If you feel like you've lost the joy in the holiday season, you may be overlooking the very simple secret to finding it. I explain how to reclaim it in this short episode (spoiler: it applies to more than just the holidays!).

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

The first round of my Make Bad Art course is underway and we are having a fabulous time, with moments of creative insight all over the place! If you'd like to know when I'm offering it again—which I will be in January—the best way to find out is to subscribe to my free creative community, The Spark! https://fycuriosity.substack.com

Authenticity and Innovation in Audio Drama with Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw

My guests today are Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw, both of whom write for Big Finish Productions, creators of audio dramas ranging from established series like Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and Dark Shadows to original dramas featuring the Air Transport Auxiliary from World War II and Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ancient Rome. Lisa started her career as a drama teacher before moving into dramatic writing—she’s written for TV series like Death in Paradise and the Sister Boniface Mysteries as well—and Alfie, who is also a producer for Big Finish, dabbled in stand-up comedy.

We talk about Big Finish’s apparently magical ability to redeem characters—including villains—who were less than beloved, the challenges and opportunities of recasting familiar characters, the way Big Finish finds new writers (including the best ways to do that), what the writing process looks like for an audio series, and a lot more. While there’s a lot of Doctor Who in this conversation, there’s also a lot of insight into the creative process, too. We apologize for being a bit vague about particular stories so as not to spoil them for those who haven’t heard them. Here’s my conversation with Lisa McMullin and Alfie Shaw.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:39 Lisa's creative childhood

09:22 Alfie's early passion for stand-up.

11:03 Alfie worked at BBC before Big Finish.

21:10 Lisa met writers, felt impostor syndrome, networked successfully.

23:19 Mixed interests: Paul McGann, river, Big Finish's "Survivors."

27:46 Amused student challenges English class symbolism interpretations.

34:57 AI affects creativity more than expected.

42:27 Exploring creativity within set formats is valuable.

44:13 Big Finish enhances characters like Sixth Doctor, Daleks.

50:54 Varied reactions to piece on religion, conversion.

57:04 Balancing new ideas and classic elements creatively.

59:44 Paul Spragg entries processed anonymously for judging panel selection.

01:05:56 Balancing established and new talent in writing.

01:14:58 Audio parallels theater through character-driven dialogue.

01:21:24 Recast Doctors' strength: unique, non-traditional portrayals.

01:23:24 Continuously innovate and explore new creative possibilities.

01:28:25 Eleventh Doctor and Jacob Dudman.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who and writing.

 

CPT #93: Take Care of Yourself

When the world is falling apart around you, it's not just okay to take care of yourself—it's necessary. I'll tell you why in this short episode.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

The first round of my Make Bad Art course is underway and we are having a fabulous time, with moments of creative insight all over the place! If you'd like to know when I'm offering it again—which I will be in January—the best way to find out is to subscribe to my free creative community, The Spark! https://fycuriosity.substack.com

You Cannot Mess This Up with Amy Weinland Daughters

Freelance writer Amy Weinland Daughters mostly wrote about college football until she decided to try her hand at, in her words, “a hilarious time travel novel.” That novel, You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened, turned out to be a catharsis, giving her a whole new look at her childhood and her family. It’s gone on to win the Silver Winner for Humor in the 2019 Foreword INDIES and the Overall Winner for Humor/Comedy in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Award.

Amy and I talk about the experience of writing about sports as a woman, what happens when a creative project becomes “real,” the importance of supporting each other’s creative dreams, even if they seem a little crazy, and just how she re-constituted Thanksgiving weekend 1978, and her whole family from an adult point of view, in her book.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:22 Always creative, imaginative childhood eventually inspired writing.

09:27 Support networks vital for achieving difficult careers.

10:42 Creative doubt and imposter syndrome affect identity.

18:23 Creating requires empathy; art preferences are subjective.

21:14 Believe in yourself; push to create magic.

27:52 Unexpectedly transformative journey, beyond initial intentions.

36:41 Book evoked nostalgia, laughter, and personal reflection.

38:59 Embraced younger self, now proud and united.

45:44 Memories change with age and perspective.

52:18 Nostalgic, relatable, thought-provoking, humorously realistic moments.

53:12 Misunderstood as sci-fi; divided reader opinions.

59:29 People share personal childhood stories with Amy.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.

Why Make Bad Art? with Lucinda Sage-Midgorden

Story lover Lucinda Sage-Midgorden and I met here on Follow Your Curiosity last year. We got together this past week for a short conversation for her Patreon about why you should think about making bad art and embracing anti-perfectionism. What does that mean (and not mean), and how might it change your life? For that matter, how are we defining perfectionism—it’s often not what we expect it to be (as I learned myself when I was training as a Kaizen-Muse coach, to my great shock and, yes, horror!).

Lucinda was kind enough to share the recording of our conversation with me, and I want to share it with you. If you’ve been wondering if my Make Bad Art course is for you, you might find the answer here—for instance: whether you need to be an artist to make bad art, and if there’s a right way to make bad art (spoiler: no, and no). This conversation is short, but you’ll get a lot out of it.

Make Bad Art starts on November 4th (the day after this episode is being released), but it’s not too late to sign up, and we’d love to have you. All the details and signup info are here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:23 Kaizen-Muse coach helping creatives break perfectionism.

05:43 Realizing hidden perfectionism hinders creative projects.

09:05 Creating bad art frees creativity for good art.

10:54 Next class starts November 4; contact details provided.

14:03 Anti-perfectionism practice: Easier and fun in groups.

18:56 Need to relax and overcome perfectionism daily.

21:51 Join "Make Bad Art" starting November 4th.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

CPT #92: The Magic of Making Bad Art

What happens when you make bad art? Sometimes you get really good art by accident! Here's a real-life story of a time when that happened to Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat, and why you should consider Making Bad Art yourself.

Source for this story.

Want to come Make Bad Art of your own, and lose perfectionism and harsh self-judgment in the process? Join us starting November 4, 2024! You don't have to be an artist, and you can't fail at bad art (unless you don't do it at all). I promise!

 

 

Creativity, Resilience, and Hurricane Helene with Darcy Wade

Four years ago, artist and art therapist Darcy Wade joined me to talk about her own journey with art and creativity, including how her discovery of expressive arts brought her back from a period of disconnection with her creative side and helped her recovery from addiction. Darcy has since moved from North Carolina to Colorado, where she’s now undertaking fundraising efforts to help folks back home in the wake of the destruction from Hurricane Helene. She talks to me about the history and artistic culture of Western North Carolina—particularly Asheville, but also the surrounding area; the creativity, ingenuity, and community that arises from crisis; her journey from North Carolina to Colorado; how awe and wonder elevate our lives, and more. You’ll find links to our previous conversation and Darcy’s fundraiser in the show notes, and I hope you’ll check them out.

If you missed my first conversation with Darcy in 2020, you can check it out here.

Full show notes, including photos of Darcy's beautiful art, can be found here.

Read this week's post, My Perfectionism Story, here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Resigned dream job, faced challenges.

07:24 Art and creativity integral in daily life.

13:37 Art project raised $7,000 for North Carolina.

17:09 Stuck in Denver due to licensure requirements.

25:32 Artists help Asheville mountain communities with essentials.

31:25 Nature-based expressive arts; paused for now.

34:13 Pass exam for new job in youth.

39:12 Expressive arts therapy empowers diverse artistic expression.

44:54 Children's fresh perspectives inspire and move me.

48:37 Redefining "bad" art: Challenging traditional definitions.

56:00 Embrace sensitivity; curiosity fuels personal growth.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in visual arts.